Job Description

Location

This role is being offered as office-based at our Scientific Campus in Porton. Please note this role does not offer remote working.

Security Vetting

Based at our scientific campus, you will be required to have a Counter Terrorism Check security vetting check as a minimum. For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. In exceptional circumstances, UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Job Summary

Reporting to the Engineering Manager, the Mechanical Plant Manager is responsible for providing technical leadership and engineering assurance for critical mechanical utility systems across the site, including steam, pressure, and associated plant infrastructure. The postholder will ensure that engineering systems remain safe, compliant, reliable, and capable of supporting UKHSA's scientific and operational activities.

The role combines technical specialist expertise, asset performance management, project delivery, and stakeholder engagement within a highly regulated environment. Working closely with engineering teams, users, contractors, and external competent bodies, the postholder will lead compliance activities relating to pressure systems, monitor asset performance, investigate equipment failures, identify improvement opportunities, and support the delivery of engineering projects and capital investments.

Job Description

• Ensure the safe, compliant, and reliable operation of mechanical utility and pressure systems through effective application of engineering policies, statutory requirements, and industry best practice.
• Lead and deliver business-critical engineering projects and improvement initiatives that enhance operational reliability, safety, and regulatory compliance.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, providing clear technical advice, training, and ensuring engineering requirements are understood and delivered.
• Ensure robust governance and engineering assurance through effective liaison with Competent Persons, auditors, and regulatory bodies.
• Monitor asset performance and maintenance data through the Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS), identifying trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
• Develop and implement engineering improvement initiatives that enhance the safety, reliability, and efficiency of utility and mechanical plant systems.
• Prepare technical justifications, business cases, and supporting documentation for plant improvements, lifecycle replacement programmes, and capital investment proposals where required.
• Provide technical oversight of critical mechanical and utility infrastructure, ensuring systems remain safe, compliant, reliable, and capable of meeting operational and scientific business requirements.
• Manage and deliver small to medium business-critical engineering projects, ensuring they are completed safely, efficiently, and in accordance with UKHSA project governance requirements, programme objectives, timescales, and budgets.
• Act as the Engineering subject matter expert for utility and pressure systems during audits, inspections, and assurance activities, working with the Engineering Manager to demonstrate compliance with statutory, regulatory, and organisational requirements.
• Maintain effective relationships with Competent Persons and relevant stakeholders to ensure compliance with the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations (PSSR) and associated engineering governance requirements.
• Author, review, and maintain engineering documentation including User Requirement Specifications (URS), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), technical specifications, and other controlled engineering records.
• Review and approve engineering technical documentation, where authorised, to support engineering operations and compliance requirements, including safety-critical documentation such as Written Schemes of Examination and associated pressure systems records.
• Lead technical investigations relating to plant failures, equipment performance issues, and non-conformances, working collaboratively with maintenance technicians, engineers, and end users to identify root causes and implement effective corrective and preventative actions.
• Ensure engineering risks, incidents, and corrective actions are appropriately recorded, monitored, and reported through UKHSA management systems.
• Represent the Engineering function within multidisciplinary teams, capital programmes, and organisational projects, providing specialist engineering advice and ensuring engineering requirements are fully considered throughout project lifecycles.